


In the daylight

by nylie



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Birthday Fluff, First Crush, Fluff, M/M, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-31
Updated: 2015-12-31
Packaged: 2018-05-10 17:39:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5595049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nylie/pseuds/nylie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daichi turns fifteen and wakes up with the sudden realization that he has a cr-<i>crush, Daichi, it's a crush</i>- on his best friend.<br/><i>aka</i>, birthday morning fluff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the daylight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Andyzambie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andyzambie/gifts).



> I've been writing other things, ~~mostly in Spanish~~ , but I wanted to write something for both Daichi's and andyzambie's birthday, but only managed to squeeze the time today! When I started this I planned it to be a short ikedaisuga drabble, but ikejiri being all cute got in the way and Daichi is very much a goner for his junior high friend, and then it had grown too much to be anything else but this.
> 
> Anyway, Andy, thanks for encouraging me with the otp, even if you only side-ship it! Hope you have a wonderful birthday :DD and that you like this silly thing, I'm very sorry I couldn't manage to squish Suga in!
> 
>  
> 
> This is very much unbeta'ed, but I really wanted to post this today, so don't be surprised if it reads "silent" instead of "ceiling" or something as ridiculous as that (true example, i swear). I checked it multiple times but I'm sure I missed a lot of things, I'll try to get someone to check it later, but do point out anything if you can! I'm very sorry for the mistakes this might have!

 

 

 

The day of his fifteen birthday, Daichi wakes up very early. Earlier than usual, when the sun is not even out yet. He doesn’t move, breathing in and out once, twice, until he feels himself back in control. His body is all sweaty even with the cold breeze that enters through the cracks of his closed window and his head is pumping wildly. He doesn’t dare to turn until he can feels his hands have stopped shaking, grasping at the side of his hips with enough force to bruise.

 

Only when he believes he has reigned his thoughts back to normal he looks to his right, at the futon on the floor. Ikejiri sleeps soundly, legs and arms stretched as far as he can sticking out of the weighty covers. Daichi stares, because, _fuck_ ― he can barely distinguish the freckles that trail his cheeks down his neck, but he can still see them, like a lamp post in the middle of the night. The vision is far more clear that whatever trick his mind conjured on his sleep and it leaves him breathless, again.

 

This whole turning older isn’t exactly going how he planned. His father had joked to him the previous morning about it, when Daichi had asked if Ikejiri could stay at home for his birthday morning, since he obviously couldn’t come at night when he’d be dragged back to his family for celebrations. He had said something around “You’ll be wanting to bring girls soon,” and Daichi had spluttered against his juice, all red and ashamed. His father had patted his back and added: “Don’t mind, don’t mind, we’ll talk about that when the time comes”. Right now, staring at the way the moon lights up Ikejiri’s adorable― _fuck_ , _get yourself together Daichi_ ― face he isn’t sure that time is coming any soon.

 

He forces himself to look away, only to end up staring at the ceiling, a sigh caught between his lips. He hugs himself, not because he is cold (he does feel like burning up still), but because he finds the contact somehow, if still lacking, comforting. He lays still, wondering if he could count stars outside of his window if he forced his face a bit more backwards. And ends up thinking it’d be easy to turn again to the side and count the freckles in Ikejiri’s face. His body approves of that as much as his mind does not, and he stumbles out of bed in a rush, unable to keep still any longer.

 

He knows it’s stupid to get himself under the water at this time of the day, it’s probably freezing cold, and their parents will notice he is awake, but he doesn’t let himself think it twice before heading under the shower. When he heads back, towel wrapped around his waist ―he feels stupid for not grabbing any clothes―, the sun is starting to light up the sky outside his window. Ikejiri moves in his sleep while Daichi puts on new clothes, but Daichi is surprised to find him sitting when he turns around.

 

He has the covers still half wrapped over his body, and he scratches his eyes with the back of his hand, stretching his back at the same time. His yawn turns into a smile when he spots Daichi in front of him, with a shirt half way down his torso, and then he blushes― _what?_

 

Daichi shakes his head, happy to be lurking on the shadiest part of his room, and finishes dressing up. He half eyes Ikejiri before closing the closet door, and he notices him putting a hand behind his neck to scratch it in embarrassment.

 

“Happy birthday, Sawamura,” his voice comes muffled by his hand, when Ikejiri hides another yawn between his fingers. Daichi cocks his head to the side, unable to refrain the smile that the gesture sparks on his face.

 

“Thanks,” he says, trying to hide the blush he is feeling creeping up his neck by ruffling his wet hair and crawling back into bed. “How’d you sleep?”

 

“Better than at home,” answers Ikejiri, naïve honesty pouring out of his lips as he quirks them upwards into a smile. Daichi hopes Ikejiri is still half asleep not to notice the way his own cheeks are flaming up.  “It’s sooooo early though, Sawamuraaaa,” he drags on his words, a pout on his lips, while he covers his shoulders in an excessive amount of sheets, “why are you even awake?”

 

“Just am,” he says matter-of-factly, turning to face the window and avoid any more eye contact that necessary.

 

“Shouldn’t you be allowed to sleep until later on your _birthday_?” Ikejiri stretches by his side, also turning around in the futon to face the window. They can barely stare at the sunrise from there, most of it hidden by trees and houses, but the light is soft and warms Daichi’s room with its touch.

 

“You could go back to sleep if you want, you know?” Daichi dares a glance towards Ikejiri, who shakes his head, a soft laugh leaving his lips.

 

“I’m already awake though, ain’t I?” he shrugs it off, and leans backwards to the futon, his legs going up to rest on the Daichi’s desk chair. “And it’s _your_ birthday, you are the one allowed to sleep”.

 

“Right.”

 

That seems to settle it then, silence falling comfortably between them as Ikejiri closes his eyes, his hand rhythmically knocking on his leg. Daichi allows himself to stare a bit, knowing he isn’t going to be caught or reprimanded for it. He just needs― _he needs to know_ , to fight somehow the images his body could perfectly sum up when he was lost to sleep. He hopes that he’ll find nothing new from staring, Ikejiri’s been part of his life for the last two years, they have even seen each other naked at the club room, and his mind is just playing tricks to him just _because_ ―.

 

He doesn’t expect for his eyes to linger longer on the bit of exposed skin of his legs from where the sheets and Ikejiri’s short dangle lower than expected. Ikejiri has a mole there he hadn’t noticed before, tracked by a few freckles, and Daichi shivers as he turns his face towards safer places. He cannot― _CAN NOT_ , DAICHI―end up needing another shower so soon.

 

Somehow, still, the movement of Ikejiri’s fingers to silent music is what catches his gaze. He realizes then he has paid more attention than normal to his hands before, already being aware of how long his fingers are, even when curled up for tapping. He knows that’s because they have been helping each other with training for a while already, there’s no way to not pay attention to hands when they are in constant contact with the ball, but it strikes him as weird when he can recall how soft it’s their touch even after Ikejiri spikes and how warm his skin tends to feel after Ikejiri touches him at random times.

 

 _Okay_ , Daichi concedes to himself his mind probably hasn’t started just randomly playing tricks today of all days, but it still bothers him when he can’t do anything to stop himself from imagining Ikejiri’s fingers drumming against his own legs. He burns up at the thought and lets himself fall face first into his bed, hiding away his flush in his pillow.

 

“Are you going back to sleep, or are we doing something before I have to go?” Ikejiri’s voice is soft and Daichi feels like hiding even further into the mattress. If he could actually melt into it it’d be perfect, truth to be told. He mumbles his response against the sheets, unable to actually make himself face his friend. _Shit_ ―he was much better when being fourteen and oblivious at this _cru―whatever_. “Are you suddenly grumpy, I-wake-to-run-in-the-mornings―san? Getting older doesn’t suit you.”

 

“Don’t speak bad of your elders, _Hayato-kun,_ ” he intends it to be teasing, _fuck_ ―he hopes it reads like that, because all he can feel, half eyeing Ikejiri from where he lifted his face enough for his voice to actually be heard, is his ears burning and his heart racing out of his chest. He might be older, but he is too young to have a heart attack, right? He throws his pillow towards Ikejiri just for good measure anyway, but his friend dares to laugh.

 

“Okay. Okay. I’ll shut up.” Ikejiri’s laughter still lingers a bit after that, and only stops when Daichi fully glares at him, Ikejiri’s hands going up in surrender, a tiny innocent smile making Daichi’s chest hurt as he stares at it. “I still have a few hours before catching the bus, we could play the game that I brought you?”

 

The distraction is welcomed, and Daichi glances back at the packaging sitting on his desk. The wrapping paper is still all there, charming childish volley balls that seemed both a playful joke and an endearing choice adorning its surface; Daichi doesn’t think he’ll have the courage to throw it out. They had played just one race before sleep started prickling at their hands and Daichi had sent them both to bed ―captain voice and all, according to Ikejiri.

 

“Is this your desire to be crushed again?” Daichi quirks an eyebrow at Ikejiri, who shakes involuntary.

 

“You wish, Sawamura, I let you win because it was your birthday,” argues back Ikejiri, hands pushing his hair away from his face as he finally drops his legs from the chair and sits straight again on the futon.

 

“You know it’s my birthday still, right?” Daichi takes out the controls, and doesn’t glance back when he feels Ikejiri shifting up to his bed, crossing his legs at his side until his knee is bumping with Daichi’s.

 

“Right,” Ikejiri chirps when Daichi hands him the control, and Daichi’s eyes linger a bit too much in the pout of his lips, before he retreats back on his legs and lets himself go backwards against the wall, fingers tingly and breath caught in his throat.

 

He turns the game on; it’s just silly car race game, because Ikejiri had argued that he couldn’t find a good volleyball one and any other ball sport would have felt like a cop out. But it’s fun, and Daichi is normally good at racing games, except―except now he is too conscious of how Ikejiri’s skin brushes against his leg and the movement of Ikejiri’s fingers over his control is extremely distracting, but most of all, it’s the way he bites his lower lip when he passes a car, fighting the urge to _boop_ in excitement. It’s ― _shit_ ― cute.

 

Ikejiri wins the first round without much trouble and stares at Daichi for long enough that Daichi is sure his whole head will start burning.

 

“You let me win,” he accuses, half closing his eyes in distrust. It’s such a foreign expression in his face that it makes Daichi want to laugh. He doesn’t, because that would contradict his next words.

 

“I did not.” It’s half true. He probably didn’t put the same fight he had the previous night, but it’s not like he did it on porpoise. “I swear.”

 

Ikejiri hums in response, still side eyeing him and obviously not believing his words. He sighs eventually, and Daichi is glad, too tempted to kiss away the frown on his forehead. He curses inwardly at the thought and looks away before Ikejiri can’t misinterpret his expression. “You are not one to play to lose, Sawamura,” there’s something in Ikejiri’s tone that Daichi can’t quite grasp, but he nods anyway, “play to win.”

 

“Right.”

 

Daichi does his best effort after that and they take turns in wins and losses. Ikejiri’s eyes him once in a while, when Daichi can’t control getting distracted and lets a car pass him easily, but chuckles in laughter when they race each other, pushing their elbows to the other’s body, in a fake attempt at steering their cars away on the screen. It’s in their last race, just before Ikejiri has to grab the bus home, that the whole bumping on each other becomes a bit too much and Ikejiri ends up falling to the side when Daichi pushes against him. The strength of his own movement leads to Daichi following him suit, half laying on top of Ikejiri. Laughter bobbles up from Daichi’s chest and it becomes an uncontrollable fit when Ikejiri joins him in his amusement.

 

It takes Daichi a moment, when his laughter starts to subdue, to understand the position they ended up in. Daichi keeps himself up from crushing Ikejiri propped with one hand on the side of Ikejiri’s arm and he has his face half crouched into Ikejiri’s shoulder, where Ikejiri’s breathe tickles him. His first thought is “not now”, and his second is to sprint away, as discretely as possible, from Ikejiri.

 

He tends a hand towards Ikejiri, trying to mask the shame he feels away from his face, but when Ikejiri grasps it to help himself up, the warmth of his skin doesn’t help with the heat that spreads already too vividly through Daichi’s body. Ikejiri turns towards the screen, a half looped smile on his lips.

 

“Guess that means we’ll have to play another day to settle who won,” he says, pointing to the screen with his other hand, just as he slowly ungrasps himself from Daichi, Ikejiri’s fingers glazing over his skin. The screen shows the race is over, and neither he nor Ikejiri even placed on the chart displayed. “I should get going, mom will be mad if I’m late today of all days.”

 

Daichi nods, because he feels too uncomfortable, yet too warm, to trust his voice. “Do you need―?” Ikejiri points at the futon and all the stuff scattered all over the floor.

 

“No, it’s alright, I’ll fix it,” Daichi speaks up then, already crouching in front of the screen to take out the game.

 

“Right. Okay,” Ikejiri gets up behind him and heads toward the bathroom with his backpack, without asking permission, too used to it after all the times he has stayed over at Daichi’s.

 

Daichi sighs against his hands as soon as he hears the bathroom’s door close, and counts to ten before he starts to pick up staff, carefully putting away the disc back on his box and taking both the box and the wrapping to one of the drawers on his closet. It takes him no time to put everything back in place, tucking the futon on its cover under the bed, and taking the sheets outside for his mother to wash later.

 

When he returns, Ikejiri is finishing packing his own things, a book Daichi lent him and some school notes. His hair is wet, dripping slightly on his t-shirt, his freckles extremely prominent in the sunlight of the day. Daichi stands on the door watching, unable to trust himself to step forward and not crawl his hands to where water drips on Ikejiri’s neck. His face flames hot at the thought and― _shit_. He seriously needs to get himself together, the expectations of his birthday and the New Year aren’t excuse enough for his behavior.

 

He leads Ikejiri towards the door, but he gets groped by his parents on their way, eager to finally be able to wish him a happy birthday. His mother kisses both his cheeks with so much noise that he is sure all the neighbors hear her, and he scowls, cheeks aflame with embarrassment. His father pats him on the head while dragging her away. Ikejiri snickers behind his hand and Daichi pushes his shoulder when they get moving again.

 

“Respect your elders, Ikejiri-kun,” he mocks again, only for it to backfire when Ikejiri laughs again and hiccups a “Sure, Sawamura-san” that makes Daichi’s blush reach his ears. He is glad he kept walking ahead and Ikejiri can’t really see it from behind. It’s only when they reach the front door that Ikejiri catches up with him, putting on his shoes and stepping outside. Daichi lingers on the household, a smile stuck in his lips even though he urges it to go away.

 

“Thanks, _S―Daichi,_ ” Ikejiri tucks his hands in his jacket. Daichi realizes then that he isn’t particularly dressed for the cold outside and shivers. Still he stares at Ikejiri confused when he raises his eyes back to Daichi. “For inviting me,” he explains.

 

“You don’t have to―” Daichi turns to stone when Ikejiri leans towards him and places a small kiss on his cheek, before sprinting away, a wave on his hand when he turns around at the gates.

 

 _―thank me for that_ , Daichi finishes the thought on his head, his fingers tracing the wetness left on his cheek by his friend. He stays there for what seems forever, staring blanking in front of him, until he shivers again, his arms half frozen in the winter morning. He wraps his arms around himself even if he doesn’t feel as cold as he probably should and closes the door behind him.

 

As he walks back to his bedroom to grab a sweater to put on, he thinks how weird turning fifteen turned to be. Daichi toys with his phone when he drops himself back in bed, typing and sending “thank _you_ ” before he regrets it.

 

He closes his eyes then, knowing his mother will call him when it’s time for lunch and allows himself to dream awake this time.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Also, Happy New Year! 
> 
>  
> 
> (coff, remember that rarepair weekend is happening soon, so it's a well good excuse to give me some daijiri to start the year ;D)


End file.
